Do LED Strip Lights Get Hot? [Is It Normal]

LED strip lights are not only a source of lighting but are also used to decorate the interior and exterior of houses, offices, or other commercial site. We love to choose LED strips because we can easily control their functions using a remote controller or by connecting them to our smartphones.

As the use of LED strips is increased surprisingly, it also leaves fear in the hearts of lovers about fire hazards. This question almost comes to everyone’s mind “Do LED Strip Lights Get Hot?”

Is there any risk of fire if we use LED strip Lights?

If you are searching for the answer to the same questions, keep in mind that no electrical appliance is 100% secure and efficient.

Although LED strips have low voltage and consume less electricity, there is also the risk of fire if you show carelessness about them.

In this article, we will completely guide you about the risks caused by LED strips and also provide you with causes and preventions to avoid such risks to keep your house and loved ones safe.

How Do LED Strip Lights Work?

LED stands for Light Emitting Diodes. LED strips contained long strips having more than 100 small light-emitting diodes on them.

LED strips are of different types. Some LED strips are single-color LED strips that come only in one color. Another type of LED strip is RGB, containing red-blue-green colors and emitting different colors by adjusting of brightness of these three colors. The other type is RGBW. It’s the RGB with white light.

LED strips require very low voltage around 12V-14V. They are a more efficient source of lighting and consume less electricity. That’s why they are more popular around the world.

LED strips can be easily controlled through remote control, manual control, or smartphones. You can easily adjust brightness levels, change colors, and create different scenes.

Energy Efficiency and Heat

LED strip lights are generally a more efficient mode of lighting than other traditional lighting technologies.

It consumes less power than other bulbs. If you use LED strips to light up your dark corners at night, it will also affect your electricity bill. Next time you will pay less.

Moreover, LED strips convert about 80-85% of electrical energy into light energy and produce a minimum amount of heat. So, it’s safe for you to use LED strips. You can even leave them ON all night.

You might be thinking that if LED strips are such a safe choice then why people are worried about overheating?

Everything you do not use properly, install properly, or use low-quality products can increase your fears of being damaged soon or cause any fire.

So, you must know, do LED strips get hot?

If yes, then how can you prevent them from overheating?

Do LED Strip Lights Get Overheat?

LED strips are most popular for their features that make them different from others.

We know LED strips are more efficient and less energy-consuming.

It is not possible to manufacture any electrical appliance that’s 100% efficient. Some of the energy must be used to produce heat. That amount of heat may be less or more depending on the quality of the product.

So, it’s not accurate to think that LED strips do not produce heat.

They produce heat but in small amounts. This is normal to get LED strips hot. The problem arises when you feel heat more than in normal circumstances.

If you use LED strips of good quality and install them properly in well-ventilated areas then you can reduce the risk of overheating of LED strips.

For the safety and security of your space, you must install LED strips in the locations where fresh air circulates. Also, use the high-quality LED strips and install them properly as per manufacturer instructions.

Moreover, You also have to keep in mind, that LED strips require maintenance over time. You need to maintain them properly by replacing or repairing the damaged parts.

Reasons Why LED Light Strips Get Hot than Normal Temperature?

There may be different factors that affect the working of LED strips and cause them to overheat with time.

While installing LED strips you should keep in mind these factors so that you don’t have to face these problems.

Here is a list of some reasons why LEd Strips get hot.

1. Quality Of LED Strip

This is one of the most common possible reasons behind the overheating of LED strips over time.

If you use cheap or poor-quality LED strips, that are made with low-quality material, there is a more chance of overheating of LED strips.

Low-quality LED strips are not more efficient and produce large amounts of heat. Due to overheating it may also affect the lifespan of LED strips.

So, while you are going to buy LED strips, buy good quality.

Although such strips are expensive due to the high-quality material used in them, their lifespan is longer than cheap LED strips. Such strips have a very low chance of heating up. This means that with high-quality LED strips, you are safe from any overheating issue.

2. Location Where LED Strips Are Installed

Although LED strips are not a heat producer their heating management depends on the environmental condition where they are installed.

If you install LED strips in a place such as near the window or ventilators,  where the fresh air circulates properly, there will be no risk of fire hazard or overheating of LED strips.

But if you install them where there is no way to circulate the fresh air, it would lead to overheating of LED strips.

For example, if you install LED strips at any tight place such as inside a cabinet, the strips face problems dissipating heat and get hotter over time. This may not only increase the temperature around strips but also decrease the lifespan of LED strips due to poor ventilation.

3. Type Of Surfaces

The working and functioning of LED strip is also affected by the type of surface on which you install them.

Some surfaces cause LED strips to get hot very quickly by trapping heat or reflecting heat waves toward LED strips. Such as plastics and certain types of wood cause LED strips to become hot when you keep them turned ON for a long time.

Here are also some surfaces that allow LED strips to dissipate heat regularly and prevent them from overheating. For example, concentrate walls and metallic surfaces allow LED strips to regulate fresh air and dissipate heat in the environment.

4. Improper Installation

Improper Installation also leads to the overheating of LED strips.

Although LED strips are flexible you can use them around corners or any shape. However excessive bending can cause damage to the circuits and results in overheating of LED strips.

While installation if wires are not connected properly or use a wrong power supply, it will also cause heat up of strips. It will not only affect the temperature but also reduce the Life-span of LED strips.

5. Overuse Of LED Strips

Although LED strips produce a small amount of heat. But if you use them continuously without any break it can cause LED strips to heat up over time.

If you use them for a long time without any pause it affects the cooling system of LED strips and the heat produced from LED strips increases their temperature.

It will also degrade the performance of LED strips. It affects its efficiency and reduces its lifespan.

How to Prevent LED Light Strips From Overheating?

If you know why your LED strips get hot then you can easily take precautions to overcome this issue.

We have listed above all the reasons that can lead to the overheating of LED strips.

Here I am going to give you some tips that help to avoid any type of fire hazard and prevent LED strips from overheating.

• While buying LED strips, always choose the strips with low voltage that consume less power and generate less heat.
• Choose the right strips according to your requirements and buy high-quality LED strips that ensure your safety.
• Do the proper installation. Use quality wires and don’t plug all the strips in one power source. Concern to expert if you are not sure how to do it properly.
• Choose a well-ventilated location to install LED strips. Continuous airflow helps LEDs to maintain their temperature to normal.
• Choose the right surface that helps LED strips to dissipate heat easily.
• Never cover LED strips and keep them away from flammable materials to avoid any fire hazard.
• Regularly inspect LED connections and damage. If you find any, repair it immediately.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

1. Are LED Strip Lights Hot to the Touch?

Ans. In normal circumstances, LED strips are not too hot. You can touch them safely. But when they started heating up it felt too hot on touching.

2. Can LED Strip Lights Overheat?

Ans. Yes, LED strips can be overheated if you do not install them properly or install them in tight places. Also, overuse leads to the heating up of LED strips.

3. Is it normal for LED Light Strips to get Hot?

Ans. Normally,  LED strips produce heat in a very low amount that cannot be felt without touching it. But if they become hotter than normal then you need for proper maintenance.

4. Are LED Strips hot enough to start a Fire?

Ans. No, LED strips do not cause fires unless they are installed near the flammable material.

5. How to cool LED Strip Lights?

Ans. To cool LED strips, do a proper installation and install them on the metal surface ( Aluminum Channels), providing ample space for LED strips to circulate heat properly.